The Hand of Terror

"Aigoo, my whole body aches..."

My entire body throbbed. My eyes were dry and crusty, my mouth tasted foul, and some acrid smell lingered in the air somewhere. But the biggest problem was that I couldn't move a muscle, like I'd been pinned down by a nightmare.

"Nngh..."

Holy shit.

Right on cue, the voice of the culprit stabbed straight into my ear.

Did we sleep like this?

Kaya was sprawled on top of me, arms wrapped around my neck. She was fidgeting a bit, probably uncomfortable, but the funny thing was she wouldn't get off even in her sleep.

This is trouble.

It wasn't that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was heavy. If I stayed like this, I'd be all riled up by morning and end up ravaging her again.

"Kaya. Kaya."

"..."

"Time to get up."

She was still breathing softly in her sleep. As I idly thought her chest must be hurting pressed like that, my hand slipped and smacked her ass without thinking.

Whoa. It jiggles so perfectly.

"Hyah!?"

"Pffft-hahaha."

"Captain!"

No matter how many times I heard that startled yelp, it was hilarious. I couldn't hold back my laughter, and Kaya jolted awake, pouting a little before realizing her position and scrambling back, pulling the blanket over herself like a makeshift cover.

Not that it mattered much in this cramped tent.

"I'll step out. Get yourself sorted and come join me."

"Ah... You don't have to."

"Just do it."

Because if I stay here, I won't be able to hold back.

It felt a bit awkward, but I threw on some clothes and headed outside anyway. I did some light stretches by the campfire, checking our conditions.

"This is... better than I imagined."

HP was about as expected, but mentality recovery was way higher than anticipated. It wasn't just about resting without the dungeon's horrors gnawing at us—our personal mental states seemed to play a role too.

Otherwise, there was no explaining it.

In More Long Terror, heroes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whose minds broke sometimes probabilistically refused rest or food, halting recovery... Taking care of both Kaya and Shae, even pushing it, wasn't a mistake after all.

Sure, with Shae, my lust got mixed in midway, but it worked out in the end.

At this mentality level, unless we tripped backward and smashed our noses through sheer bad luck, mental collapse and death weren't on the table.

If Shae's recovery had been worse, I'd have considered putting her in the back line.

If so, we'd have no choice but to boost speed with Shae's Tenacity and heal with Judgment of Justice from the rear. The hero party's firepower would drop hard, delaying clears and tanking survival odds. Probabilistic turn waste aside.

"Good, all good."

"Yaaawn... What's good, Captain?"

"Oh. Sleep well?"

"Hehe..."

Shae scratched her head as she emerged from the tent, grinning sheepishly. I was just as baffled that I'd asked out of habit.

Kaya's moans.

I decided not to dwell. At least she hadn't gone sleepless— the fatigue and lethargy crusting her face yesterday were mostly gone. The fact she could move and talk on her own was worlds apart from pre-rest Shae.

"Captain."

"Yeah?"

"Did you... take good care of Kaya sis?"

"Uh, yeah. Something like that."

"You're pretty smooth with women, huh, Captain? Hehe."

"As if."

I could say that with certainty, at least.

"You're only the second woman I've gotten this close with. Kaya's first."

"...Whaaat?"

Let's exclude the monster named Mom. Then my statement held true.

"Don't lie."

"You've called me a liar since yesterday. It's true. Want me to swear again?"

"...No need. Just testing you."

"Hey now. Doubting your captain?"

"Pfft. What even is that?"

We bantered back and forth for a bit until Kaya stepped out. Silence fell instantly. Super awkward.

Hmm, seems I've already faded from their focus.

Chicken as it sounded, it was my chance. Perfect excuse to wash up too.

"Gonna go clean up."

"Yes, Captain."

"Sure thing, Captain."

I ducked into the tent and pressed my ear to the flap.

**

"..."

"..."

Kaya and Shae sat facing each other across the campfire, like they'd planned it.

What should I say? Shae poked idly at the coals. Knowing Kaya was aware of her time with Hendrick made her tongue-tied. And she knew about Kaya and Hendrick too, making it even harder.

"Shae."

"Yes, sis?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry...? Huh?"

Shae's head snapped up at the unexpected words. Their eyes met.

"Wh-why are you apologizing, sis?"

"First off, it's true we've both been heavily affected by the dungeon's terror. Right?"

"...Yeah. Embarrassing as it is."

"Embarrassing, but it's done. Late confession, but ever since you officially joined the hero party, I've been swept up in petty emotions."

"Petty... emotions?"

"Yes. As a priestess—especially a nun bearing the goddess of mercy's will—they were utterly ugly."

Jealousy, envy, possessiveness.

"My own excess. I was foolish, an ungrateful beast of a woman."

"Uh..."

"Shae."

"Yes?"

"I... the captain..."

"He...?"

"I lo..."

Kaya clenched and unclenched her fists, wiped them on her clothes, fidgeted.

"I know I shouldn't, but... I think I love the captain. I couldn't separate duty from personal, got jealous of you. Envied your bravery, your feats, your talent. Even knowing your pain, I tried to monopolize him selfishly. That's why I'm apologizing to you."

"...Love."

Kaya's face eased a bit. Shae's grew more complicated.

"Admitting it without suppressing feels freeing. What do you think, Shae?"

"Huh? About what?"

"The captain."

Kaya landed a light hook followed by a left uppercut. But Shae didn't stay silent this time.

"He's unique, vital... irreplaceable."

"...Irreplaceable man."

"Yes. Irreplaceable man."

Their eyes locked. Neither backed down.

**

With preparations complete, our hero party exited 1-9. The passage was its usual dark, but fresh from rest, it felt oddly brighter. Shae and Kaya seemed in decent shape too.

Curious. Fucking curious.

But the subtle vibe between my two comrades wasn't just my imagination.

No more distractions. Focus on 1-10, the boss.

I steeled my softening mood ahead of time. They looked fine now, but who knew when they'd shatter like yesterday.

Tch. Vendor trash.

I finally checked the artifact from the berserker, too distracted before. +3 max attack early-game made it solid for berserker or marauder comps through midgame. In easy modes I could cheese, I'd sometimes run stupid 4-berserker or 4-marauder parties out of spite, and this dropping made those runs a blast.

Four of 'em wailing on a mob, one confusing it? Pure fun.

No such luck now—straight to the shop on return.

Still, elite drop means decent price... Wonder how much boss and zone clears boosted rewards?

Higher difficulty, higher rewards. Not counting chickens yet, but a bit of hope fueled courage.

"Captain."

"...Yeah?"

"Once we're back, moving to a bigger room wouldn't hurt."

"Right? You know how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much side-eye I got sleeping alone in that bed last time?"

"Huh?"

Kaya, Shae. You two.

"Couldn't say then due to circumstances, but I want to cook for you all when we return."

"I'd love shopping for clothes together. Not drab stuff—something stylish."

"..."

"Captain. We know you're worried about us. Truth is, horrific scenes still loop in my head nonstop. Futures I don't want to imagine unfolding... No matter how hard we try, it's futile, just thrashing. Whispers like that linger. Less than yesterday, but still."

"Me too."

"But."

Kaya raised her mace. Shae followed, hefting her claymore. Freshly maintained from rest, their weapons gleamed sharp.

"Even if we yielded once."

"We won't yield twice."

"With ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our anchor, the captain."

"With our lighthouse, the captain."

"Even if we stray midway, we can reach the right destination."

Thud—whoosh—!

Footsteps halted. Their weapons pointed forward.

...There loomed a door far larger than others, exuding far darker, chilling dread.

"I want to crush the monster beyond that door. Repay the captain—in every way."

"Me too. In every way."

They ended on the same word, glanced at each other briefly, then faced front.

What the. Are they comforting me? Not to worry? After all your suffering?

"Haha... hahahaha!"

"Captain?"

"Captain?"

"Nah, nothing. Haha...!"

Baseless confidence, baseless hope surged. Useless in luck-shit roguelikes, but...

"Perfect. Whatever it takes, let's do it. Back home."

"...Yes!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Let's go."

This time, I didn't leave Shae to push alone. Kaya joined, all three shoving together. The massive door ground inward with a rumble.

Boom—!

It swung fully open. We didn't rush in. Unlike rooms where monsters popped with messages on entry, pitch blackness filled the interior.

Fuck, reminds me of awakening.

Glad I resisted that time, but those visions pissed me off. The darkness inside evoked it perfectly.

"Captain, this."

"Curtain to hype a stronger foe inside. Make it feel epic."

I said it lightly on purpose. No cheap tricks, you terror-pushing bastard.

I met Kaya and Shae's eyes once each, then stepped first into the lightless void.

In More Long Terror, this'd be the loading screen to boss cutscene the instant I crossed.

So what now?

----.

"What the fuck!"

Vision flipped. A sharp, grotesque screech pierced my eardrums.

The unidentified noise clarified over time.

- Submit.

A voice forcing knees to buckle, overwhelming pressure.

- Those who do not.

And finally, its source emerged.

- Shall be crushed by terror, reduced to a puddle of blood.

This bastard...!

Familiar lines. And like any monster, but ugly as fuck!

A physical brute boss with grotesquely massive, hideous hands appeared.